Pakistan mulling short tour of South Africa
Pakistan are contemplating a short limited-overs tour of South Africa after the current series in the UAE ends on November 15. Their schedule is bare until Sri Lanka arrive in the UAE for a full tour starting December 11, while South Africa will be free until India arrive for their series, most probably in early December. That means the available window for any series would be two weeks.
The proposal for a short, limited-overs series was put forward to Cricket South Africa by the PCB' interim management committee. With CSA expected to lose R200 million (US$ 20m approx.) owing to the curtailed India tour, this may be a way to make some of that up.
"We are in communication to play a series with South Africa," a PCB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. "We have an available window ahead of upcoming Sri Lanka series and the plan is to play in South Africa. The proposal however is under consideration and the correspondence is at a preliminary stage with no concrete decision made so far."
The tour was suggested after the original seven ODIs between South Africa and India were cut down to three, the three-Test series brought down to two, and the two-match T20 series scrapped. Pakistan are scheduled to return to the UAE on December 6 to take on Sri Lanka in two T20s, five ODIs and three Tests.
Pakistan announced the schedule for their domestic season last month, according to which the National T20 tournament featuring 17 regional teams was to take place after South Africa's tour of the UAE, but the PCB spokesman confirmed that if Pakistan's proposed tour to South Africa is approved, the National T20 Cup will be pushed back.
Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo's Pakistan correspondent. He tweets here
Comments have now been closed for this article
Good initiative by PCB. You only get better by playing the best so why not? More importantly, Pak batsmen would have this wonderful opportunity to play more on the S. African pitches. That would be a step in the right direction for this young core.
If this happens then both pak and sa should use non regular players. This will be a good way to test the talent of both countries. Pak's squad should be: Sami Aslam, Khurram Manzoor, Shan Masood, Sharjeel Khan, Haris Sohail, Hammad Azam, Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammed Rizwan, Anwar Ali, Yasir Shah, Raza Hasan, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan (jr), Ehhsan Adil, Asad Ali. There are some other guys who could be in this squad like Akbar-ur-rehman or Fawad Alam or some bowlers but the point is to try out new players.
This Is an excellent idea but it would be far much better if they invite one more team fo a short TRi nation series..
More pointless bi-lateral ODI games. It seems like the only team we play against are Pakistan. Other teams too scared.
That is an excellent idea for both teams to prepare for their important upcoming series against India and Srilanka. I dont mind them playing against each other for the third time in a year because whenever they play against each other in recent past we have seen good interesting matches. And we never complaint about ENG vs AUS , IND vs AUS or SA vs IND so why we think SA vs PAK is too much ... Dont forget Pakistan team is third best team while playing abroad (far better than INDIA). I hope this tour gets confirmed from both boards.
excellent idea by pcb. bravo to them. i hope csa accepts it coz after all it would help them elsewell in recovring lost money. both boards are frndz together. but i doubt there would be a test series. any way i want them to tour s.a again.
Pakistan should arrange a global event like IPL, but much shorter than IPL, in UAE or if possible in South Africa until cricket returns back to Pakistan. This will help their players groom and develop on international stage.
I Think in this period pakistan should arange Domestic T20tornament With Some Hype like Allow Regions To Call Some Forign Players in the squad..Otherwise arrange a Tri-nation series between pakistan south africa and other available country contain 1 match played against each other..OR Pakistan should invite ireland and afghanistan to play with them in Karachi And Lahore Revival tri-series in Pakistan which boast pakistan and make soft corner in ICC and Other board..
This is a great idea just to challenge BCCI power and bullying the other boards to show that there are other boards in world who can play their part to get SA out of financial mess and wouldn't leave them on BCCI's mercy, so 3 ODI and 2 t20 is a good idea. @Naseer,playing with Afg?,sorry not a good idea,PAK already doing more to play against lower ranked teams and have paid the price recently against ZIM,thats why other teams don't play them as this is a thankless job, its not that they are afraid of them.
triple series with SA during 2013! SA than UAE than SA again, we love it
Good initiative by PCB. You only get better by playing the best so why not? More importantly, Pak batsmen would have this wonderful opportunity to play more on the S. African pitches. That would be a step in the right direction for this young core.
If this happens then both pak and sa should use non regular players. This will be a good way to test the talent of both countries. Pak's squad should be: Sami Aslam, Khurram Manzoor, Shan Masood, Sharjeel Khan, Haris Sohail, Hammad Azam, Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammed Rizwan, Anwar Ali, Yasir Shah, Raza Hasan, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan (jr), Ehhsan Adil, Asad Ali. There are some other guys who could be in this squad like Akbar-ur-rehman or Fawad Alam or some bowlers but the point is to try out new players.
This Is an excellent idea but it would be far much better if they invite one more team fo a short TRi nation series..
More pointless bi-lateral ODI games. It seems like the only team we play against are Pakistan. Other teams too scared.
That is an excellent idea for both teams to prepare for their important upcoming series against India and Srilanka. I dont mind them playing against each other for the third time in a year because whenever they play against each other in recent past we have seen good interesting matches. And we never complaint about ENG vs AUS , IND vs AUS or SA vs IND so why we think SA vs PAK is too much ... Dont forget Pakistan team is third best team while playing abroad (far better than INDIA). I hope this tour gets confirmed from both boards.
excellent idea by pcb. bravo to them. i hope csa accepts it coz after all it would help them elsewell in recovring lost money. both boards are frndz together. but i doubt there would be a test series. any way i want them to tour s.a again.
Pakistan should arrange a global event like IPL, but much shorter than IPL, in UAE or if possible in South Africa until cricket returns back to Pakistan. This will help their players groom and develop on international stage.
I Think in this period pakistan should arange Domestic T20tornament With Some Hype like Allow Regions To Call Some Forign Players in the squad..Otherwise arrange a Tri-nation series between pakistan south africa and other available country contain 1 match played against each other..OR Pakistan should invite ireland and afghanistan to play with them in Karachi And Lahore Revival tri-series in Pakistan which boast pakistan and make soft corner in ICC and Other board..
This is a great idea just to challenge BCCI power and bullying the other boards to show that there are other boards in world who can play their part to get SA out of financial mess and wouldn't leave them on BCCI's mercy, so 3 ODI and 2 t20 is a good idea. @Naseer,playing with Afg?,sorry not a good idea,PAK already doing more to play against lower ranked teams and have paid the price recently against ZIM,thats why other teams don't play them as this is a thankless job, its not that they are afraid of them.
triple series with SA during 2013! SA than UAE than SA again, we love it
I dont agree with this. Both teams need fresh legs before important series coming ahead for both teams. I think both teams will be tiered after this series. Money is important but winning is more important
Good Idea...Just add one more test which will be further preparation before india arrive to face wounded SA. SA will come in good rhythm while india will be just coming off limited overs formats. Good time to attack for SA. Also, ODI series will compensate for some losses inflicted by BCCI on CSA. Anyway, there is good PAK population there so some income compensation is expected.
Both teams play good competitive cricket against each other and their matches are interesting but how many times will Pakistan play against South Africa in a year? I'd much rather prefer Pakistan playing against New Zealand in New Zealand, if possible.
good idea to cover up the emptey time
I agree with GoldenAsif. Additional ODIs against same opposition are not needed once we would have already played 10 against them this year. Players need much needed rest !
Great idea SA may not recover full loss but can get some out of it .The series may be of 3 ODI and 2 T20 whereas they lost 1 test ,4 ODI'S & two T20's .this series can not cover the loss but it can remaind India that there are other boards who are ready to compensate, and further it will give an idea to lessen the monopoly of BCCI
A better idea is to add 1 test to the current series. To least disturb the schedule, play it at the end of ODI series.
no point as players will be burnt out jetlaged etc just give the players time off or some players can go to NCA and train there for few hours a day espically the batters and butter finger akmal bros on their keeping im talking about adnan and umar or please please pcb like bowling talent search do a keeping talent search as over the years the akmals have cost pakistan some vital games .
I think the better idea would be to Play with Afghanistan, ICC should organize a AFG.vs Pak at least 3 odi series, which will assess the progress made by Afghanistan, because ICC should do at least some favor for teams like Afghanistan, Ireland, because time and again these two teams have proved their abilities and potential, but they have never been given a chance of series of international matches where ICC can assess them and see the possibility them becoming full members.
No, it would be an overkill just like the current ODI series between India and Australia. Give the players some rest ahead of the series against SLA in Dec 2013
good idea for both teams, csa needs the money, Pakistan need the practise on bouncey wickets before the next world cup
It just shows how unpopular Cricket is. Same repeated matches over and over. Invite Zimbabwe or Ireland.
Why not play 1 Test since the current series was a draw and two back to back T20's?
good idea to cover up empty time slot but 3 rd odi series in 1 year? they should get in a 3 rd team to play tri angular series.
The main players of the team should be rested if the tour gets place
Good idea! I believe this is win win for both boards
Why we are not playing in Australia or NZL to read the pitches their and then work on our techniques?
by doing this SA can recover loss of 1 test ,4 ODI'S & two T20's against upcoming series against India .
Good Idea. Pakistan team may be a poor test cricket team out of UAE but they are good ODI side so a ODI series between Pak and SA would be awesome :D
No featured comments at the moment.
Good Idea. Pakistan team may be a poor test cricket team out of UAE but they are good ODI side so a ODI series between Pak and SA would be awesome :D
by doing this SA can recover loss of 1 test ,4 ODI'S & two T20's against upcoming series against India .
Why we are not playing in Australia or NZL to read the pitches their and then work on our techniques?
Good idea! I believe this is win win for both boards
The main players of the team should be rested if the tour gets place
good idea to cover up empty time slot but 3 rd odi series in 1 year? they should get in a 3 rd team to play tri angular series.
Why not play 1 Test since the current series was a draw and two back to back T20's?
It just shows how unpopular Cricket is. Same repeated matches over and over. Invite Zimbabwe or Ireland.
good idea for both teams, csa needs the money, Pakistan need the practise on bouncey wickets before the next world cup
No, it would be an overkill just like the current ODI series between India and Australia. Give the players some rest ahead of the series against SLA in Dec 2013